Tobacco self-transplanter.



No. 818,586. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906. A. G. URDAHL.

TOBACCO SELF TRANSPLANTBR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1B, 1902 3 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

71560165565: ELI/'6] LCOJ.

2 u wi KM ZM W w PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

A. O. URDAHL. TOBACCO SELF TRANSPLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.18, 1902.

R] N VEN T OR @LWtWM 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M %flamefi PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

A. U. URDAHL.

TOBACCO SELF TRANSPLANTER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 18, 1902.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3 [NI/ENTOR M mww W/TNE ARENT CHRISTOPHER URDAHL, OF VlliOQUA, WISCONSIN.

TOBACCO SELF-TRANSPLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed August 18,1902. Serial No. 120,068.

To (t/Z whom, it 'llbfl/j/ concern/.-

Be it known that I, ARENT CHRISTOPHER URDAHL, a citizen of the United States, rei siding at Viroqua, in the county of Vernon and State of Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Tobacco Self-.lra1tsplanter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a transplanter, and has for its object to provide an improved machine which opens a furrow in the ground, then sets the plants properly in the furrow and waters the roots, and then covers a'rd packs the same with earth.

To this erd the invention consists in cer tain novel features of corstruction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompaii ying drawirgs, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machii e. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts of the frame removed. Fig. 3 is a plan View. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the caster-wheel. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the spri kler to be ilOl'Gll after described.

Referring specifically to the drawi' gs, A denotes the frame of the machine, which is mom;ted on wheels B at the rear end and a caster-wheel C in froiit, the latter being car ried in a frame E, swiveled to a platform 6 at the front end of the machire. This platform also supports a waterta.'-k D.

To the axle of ore of the rear wheels B is made fast a spur-wheel F, which meshes with a pi; ioi; G or. a couztter-shaft supported in the frame A. A suitable clutch mecharism H is provided for throwiz' g the shaft i! to and out of gear.

At the inr er end of the shaft is a crank I, which is joii ed by a correctirg-rod K to a crark-arm on a segmeit-gear L, supported on a shaft L, carried by the frame A. The gear L meshes with a sinilar gear M on a shaft m, supported in the frame A. The gear M is formed with a pair of projecting arms m, which are joi'i ed at their eLds to a tube m The supporting-rods Ofor the play tholder P, whereby said holder is raised aid lowered to receive and set the plea ts, exte'; d loosely through this tube. Said support comprises two rods of spring metal terminating in a loop or hook 0 between the arms m.

The plant-holder comprises two jaws, which are pivoted at p to the outer ends of the rods 0. A spring Q, between the rear ends of the jaws, assists to close them. The jaws may also be faced with rubber or other I l f b l suitable material to pre ert injury to the plants.

The means for opciing and closirg the aws comprise lazy-tongs, the members R and S of which are com eeted to the rear erds of the jaws and to a rod T, connectit g with a rocker Z) Z), loosely mouiited o the shaft L. The rod T is provided with a turnbuckle t to enable the proper adjustment to be made. The rocker I) b exter (ls ii to the path of a lug projecting from or 0 side of the gear L. Vhen the jaws are in lowered positioi this lug strikes the rocker and SWll gs it, ar. d by means of the rod T and the lazy-ton gs R and S the jaws are opered to release the plar ts. The gear M has a depcrding arm N, which is connected by a looped rod 2 with an extel sion 2, formed on the rocker b b. The object of these connectiors is to open the jawswhen they are in elevated position to receive the plarts. The jaws are raised a d lowered when the gear L is rocked, this motion being commuricatcd to the gear M.

The furrow-opeizer is indicated at X a1 (1 is carried by swinging supports Y, secured to the frame A. The furrow -opcr er carries coverers X, the latter being fasteLed to the rear ends of rods (1, supported in bearii gs a on the furrow-opei.er. The front ends of the rods are formed ii to a loop a which ergages with a hook (1 extending from a segmertgear U, worki;1g on a shaft it, supported on the frame A. The gear U is in mesh with teeth U, formed on the gear L, which teeth are offset, so as 1: ct to ii terfere with the operation of the gear M.

The hook 0 at the inner ends of the rods 0 is engaged by an arm it, extending laterally from the gear U. A spring a is roiled around the rods between the loop 0 and the inner end of the tube m The purpose of this arrangement will be described hereinafter.

The sprinkler comprises a casing TV, car ried by the furrow-opener, the nozzle of said sprinkler being directed so that the roots of the plants receive the discharge therefrom as they are set in the furrow. The valve-stem w is actuated by a rod Z, connecting with the arm N, extending from the gear M. The rod is in two sections, one of which screws into a tube Z and the other extends loosely into said tube, its end being fitted with a ball or enlargement to prevent withdrawal from the tube. The rod is made telescoping, so that the sprinkler will not be operated until the a hook which receives a chain or rod connectplants reach the furrow. The sprinkler is connected by a flexible hose with the tank D.

In the operation of the machine a furrow is opened by the opener X as the machine is driven over the field. When the jaws P are in elevated position, they open to receive the plant, which is fed thereto by hand from a suitable tray or other device on the frame A. The jaws then lower, and when the plant reaches the furrow it is released by the opening of the jaws. After the plant is released it is watered, the sprinkler being operated through the rod Z connecting with the arm N. The roots are then covered by earth by means of the coverers X. These are actuated by the gearUthroughthe connections a a and a, which pull the coverers toward the front of the machine, and thereby cause them to throw earth on the roots.

The rod 2, connecting the arm N on the gear M and the extension 2 of the rocker b 1), opens the jaws when they are in elevated position. I/Vhen the jaws are in lowered position, they are opened by the stud l) striking the rocker b b. The rod .2 islooped, as shown, so that it will not actuate the rocker b 1) until the jaws have come to their proper position.

The object of the connection a with the rods 0 is to hold the jaws momentarily stationary while the plants are being released, although the machine is in motion. This is done by the arm it, which pushes the rods rearwardly a bit at the instant the plants are released.

The means for throwing the machine into and out of gear comprise a hand-lever fulcrumed on a platform at the rear end of the machine and joined by a suitable connection with the clutch H. Suitable means are provided for locking the lever. The lower end of the lever has an extension (1 (1, formed with ed to the furrow-opener. By means of this connection when the hand-lever is operated to throw the machine out of gear the furrowopener will be raised above the ground at the same time.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a transplanter, the combination of a wheeled frame carrying a furrow opener and closer, vertically-swinging rods carrying jaws to receive the plants, wheel-driven means for raising and lowering the rods, and wheeldriven means for opening the jaws when they are in elevated and in lowered'positions re spectively. 2. In a transplanter, the combination of a wheeled frame carrying a furrow-opener and an intermittently-operating furrowcloser, vertically-swinging rods carrying jaws to receive the plants, wheeldriven means for opening the jaws to release the plants when said jaws are lowered, and wheeldriven means to actuate the furrow-closer.

3. In a transplanter, the combination of a wheeled frame carrying a furrow opener and closer, a segment gear carrying rods provided with jaws to receive the plants, a rocker, a wheel-driven segment-gear meshing with the first-mentioned gear to raise and lower the jaws, and a trip carried by the wheel-driven gear and engaging the rocker to open the jaws.

4. In a transplanter, the-combination of a wheeled frame carrying the furrow opener and closer, a segment-gear vided with jaws to receive the plants, and having a projecting arm, a sprinkler having a controlling-valve connected with the aforesaid arm, wheel-actuated means for opening the jaws, and a wheel-driven segment-gear meshing with the aforesaid lower the jaws and to operate the sprinkler valve.

5. In a transplanter, the combination of a wheeled frame carrying the furrow opener and closer, a segment-gear carrying rods provided withjaws to receive the plants, said gear having a projecting arm, a wheel-driven segment-gear meshing with the first-mentioned gear to raise and lower the jaws, a rocker, one end of which is operatively connected to the jaws, and the other end is connected to the aforesaid arm, and a trip carried by the wheeldriven gear and engageable with the rocker.

A. CHRISTOPHER URDAHL.

Witnesses:

T. T. SANwIoK, KNUT MosENe.

carrying rods pro- 

